Going up west, and east
By contrast, areas to the west were scrubbing up quite nicely. Fuelled by demand from rich and powerful individuals, development of west London was rapid, extensive and relatively well planned. Aristocratic families developed lands they had snagged after the Dissolution of the Monasteries almost two centuries earlier.
'Aristocratic families developed lands they had snagged after the Dissolution of the Monasteries almost two centuries earlier.'
Hanover Square was built by the Earl of Scarborough; Savile Row and Burlington Street by the Earl of Burlington, and the Duke of Devonshire created Berkeley Square, which immediately became one of the best addresses in London.
Yet London's prosperity brought its own headaches. Trade had underpinned the city's economy for centuries, and the 18th century saw it grow enormously. As the volumes of goods traded increased, however, the Thames became seriously overcrowded, causing delays and damage to merchandise.
After the West Indies merchants - who imported perishables like sugar, rum and coffee - threatened to move elsewhere, the West India docks were built at the Isle of Dogs in 1800. The 20,000 jobs they provided gave the east of London a major boost. Initially, at least, the East End (as it would eventually become known) was a respectable centre of the working poor.
All this change meant that the 19th century saw London explode into the modern age, its population rocketing seven-fold to over 6,500,000. By 1901, one in five people in England and Wales lived in London. The West End was completely overhauled by the Prince Regent and his architect, John Nash, who designed Regent's Park, Regent Street and Piccadilly Circus, and continued to redesign most of what is now tourist London.
Wider roads were also required, prompting the first phase of slum clearance. Around 120,000 people ultimately lost their homes between 1840 and 1900, and the City lost 100,000 inhabitants as it became a shrine to capitalism, dominated by banks, insurance offices and warehouses.
Published: 2004-02-16
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